Saturday, July 25, 2015

Last Chapter of the CAFE! I had an A-HA moment…

I read it cover to cover!  I have NEVER done that with a professional book and am well on my way to reading two cover to cover this year!  Put that in my bucket list!  I know, sad existence:)  Also, I should have had this post ready and posted Wednesday but my week has gotten away from me?  Sorry :)

Any way!  I read chapter 7 of the CAFE book and took away much from it.  Chapter 7 is about the strategy groups.  The sisters do not do guided reading groups.  The strategy group is the method which was born of guided reading groups for them.  The kids in the guided reading groups were never really flexing.  As the students improved, the level just changed and the kids never seemed to.  I took from this chapter that even within the guided reading group, multiple needs still existed.  I have experienced that and found myself shifting toward students all around my table teaching mini lessons on the spot based on those kids needs.  The chapter mentioned a strategy group assessment but I couldn’t seem to locate it in the chapter or in the appendix.  If you know where it is, totally leave me a comment and make sure you are not a “no reply” blogger.  I like to send some love you way! 

Page 109 had some great information to share about strategy groups.  The sister said they just didn’t wake up one morning with “an epiphany and switch all our groups from leveled guided reading strategy groups” Instead the did one strategy group at a time, still using guided reading groups for quite some time.  They also indicated that the strategy being addressed by that group sort of dictated when that group would flex out.  Some strategies take longer to get control over due to their complexity and/or sophistication and/or how well the children were mastering said strategy. 

So…here are some of my #realtalk feelings, thoughts, concerns etc.

I love this idea and the richness that strategy groups can bring to literacy instruction.  The concept is ginormous.  Such a benefit for every child in your classroom.  I am in a district which requires the use of guided reading levels for progress monitoring.  We also just spent, district monies, a whole lotta cash to purchase the Journey’s series from Houghton Mifflin.  So, I feel so stuck.  But, I think I know what I can do.  Start small and smart.  Start with the individual conferences for kids who just don’t fit in your groups.  This is so tier 2 and if you have the conference records and assessment data for progress monitoring then you are already like 25 steps ahead of most folks in your building:)  I can see letting go of the GRL for those high performing students and using these deeper strategies for a book study and really truly and finally meeting the needs of those kids.  Right now the ideas for strategies groups and how the make them work in a guided reading world are just flooding my brain!  I think this is setting me up for a post down the road and  possible PD offering for my people.  I could include you all too if you were so inclined.  If I get some interest, I will set it up and let you know how we can do this.  I am so very excited right now!  #teachersteachingteachers is really a great way to expand your knowledgebase!!

Thanks for sticking with me through my reading and sharing of the CAFE book!  I hope it gave you something to think about and ways you to can make reading instruction work for you! 

5 comments:

  1. Our school just started Guided Reading last year. I love your strategy level ideas. Please keep us posted.

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  2. Oh, also what is the actual title of the book?

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    1. The CAFE book by Jan Moser and Gail Boushey. They are the sisters that authored The Daily 5

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  3. I can see how this would be useful at the 4th grade level. In first my leveled groups do change a lot. The strategies they need are usually associated with their level. Was there a suggestion about when to use this approach? Is k-1 different in their opinion?

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    1. I think these strategies are universal for readers of any grade level. There are some that are more complex than others, those that are more sophisticated than others. But this is what we see in our classrooms. I used to teach 4th grade and now I teach 2nd. I see readers at the same levels as 4th graders, needing the same strategies. No suggestions of when to use, I plan to use it when my readers are in major need and the guided reading leveled groups just are not working. I will be using it more one on one tier 2 and 3 level teaching because not all kids will get this approach :)

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Thanks for your comments as I grow in the blog world!!!